Clothes-pounder.



PATENTED MAR. 10, 1908. G. E. NORRIS. CLOTHES POUNDER.

APPLIoATmN FILED Nov. 29. 1907.

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GEORGE E. NORRIS, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO.

cLoTHEsoUNDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 1o, 190s.

Application filed November 29, 1907. Serial No. 404,370.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE E. Nonnis, citizen of the United States, residing at Columbus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, lhave invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clothes-Pounders, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to clothes pounders or devices for washing clothes of that class in which one or more conical pounding or beating bodies are carried by a vertical handle, and the objects of my invention are to provide a clothes pounder of this character of improved construction and arrangement of parts wherein is embodied improved means for forcing air into the water for the purpose of creating artificial currents and producing a greater agitation of the water and thereby increasing the cleansing effect; to provide means for cushioning the piston in its upward and downward movement and at the same time utilize such means for forcing the piston and `inner cone downward, and to produce other improvements the details of which will be more fully pointed out hereinafter. These objects I accomplish in the manner illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a central vertical section of my improved clothes pounder or washing device, and, Fig. 2 is a transverse section on line :zzof Fig. 1.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

In carrying out my invention, I employ a cylindrical body 1 which is provided at its upper end with a detachable head or cap 2, having extending upwardly therefrom a handle receiving socket piece 3. The lower end of the cylinder 1 is provided wi.h a detachable cap 4 having a vertical central opening 5 therethrough. The upper cap 2 is provided at one side of its center with an air port 6, the inner end of which is normally closed by a valve 7 which is secured as indicated at 7a to the cap 2 at one side of said port 6.

j Within the cylinder I provide a suitable form of piston 8 which is adapted to fit and slide within said cylinder and supported from about the center of this piston is an upwardly extending spring 9. Secured Within an opening vin and depending from the center of the piston 8 is a vertical tube 10, this tube passing through the lower cap opening 4 and having secured to and oommunicating with its lower end the u per and smaller end of a conical pounding body 11, the latter being referably provided, as shown, with a deslrable number of perforations 12. y

13 represents an outer conical casing or pounder which .is of greater diameter than the inner conical body 11 and which has its upper and smaller end rigidly incasing the" lower portion of the cylinder 1. Supported upon the central portion of the bottom plate 5 of the cylinder 1 is a short upwardly extending spring 14.

15 represents a suitable handle which has its lower end portion secured in the socketpiece 2.

In the class of clothes pounders or wash-` ing devices to which my invention relates, the clothes which are submerged in a tub or other rece tacle, are subjected to the vertical poun ing action of the conical members. In the construction which I have described it will be observed that the spring 9 will serve to normally hold the inner member 11 in the position shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing, in which the base of the inner member is projected below the base of the outer member 13. When a downward blow is imparted to the device, it will be understood that the member 11 will enter the water inthe tub and come into contact with the clothes and the resistance thus offered will drive the tube 10 and piston 8 upward toward the upper end of the cylinder 2, resulting not only in a compression of the spring 9, but in the air which is contained in the cylinder above the piston being forced downward through the tube 10 'and conical 'member 11 into the water, thereby creating artificial currents which results'in a greatly increased agitation of the water and a corresponding increase in the friction between the water ,and clothes which are contained in the tub.

On the downward stroke of the inner member 11 which will occur through pressure of the spring 9 when the device is raised, it is obvious that a suction will be created in the cylinder above the' piston, which will draw the valve 7 downward and draw air into the cylinder through the ort 6, which air will be utilized as hereinbe ore described at the next downward movement of the pounder.

It will be understood that the spring 14 will serve to cushion the piston 8 as it approaches its limit of downward movement. It will also be seen that the perforations l2 will furnish means of exit and entrance of both the air and water and thereby contribute toward the formation of the desirable artificial currents in the water.

From the construction which I have shown and described, it will be seen that I have combined in my device, means for not only drawing air into the cylinder, but for forcing the same downward and outward at the time when it is needed.

Vhat I claim, is:

1. In a clothes pounder, the combination with a cylinder, a handle connected therewith, said cylinder having an air port and a valve adapted to normally close said air port, of a piston contained in the cylinder, a tube 10 leading through said piston and through the lower end of the cylinder, a conical body on the lower end of said tube, and a second and larger conical body depending from said cylinder.

through the lower end of the cylinder, a

conical body on the lower end oi said tube and communicating therewith, an external conical body of larger diameter than said first mentioned body having its upper portion connected with said c dinder a s )rnvr in the lower portion of the cylinder, and a valve in the upper portion ol the cylinder adapted to normally close said air port and to open on the downward movement o the piston.

.In testimony whereof I aili'v my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE E. NOH'RIS. Witnesses:

C. C. SHEPHERD, L. CARL SToUenToN. 

